Of schools and princes
by Delirious Rose
Summary: A series of circunstaced had keep Fuu from making up with Ferio after their last fight, when suddenly a new student arrives in her class...
1. Chapter 1

The last time they had seen each other, Fuu and Ferio didn't parted on good terms. It wasn't because they had a fight or something... no, wait, they **did** fight, but it wasn't like the classic lovers' quarrels, with dishes flying around and stuff: she was simply too quiet to get angry at all, and even if he was a bit hot tempered, he didn't like to be in contrast with people in general. Nonetheless, that time it happened and almost a month and a half had passed without them making up. And now Fuu was waiting for the next week-end to go to Cephiro and try, once again, to make Ferio understand why she wanted to wait after college to move in the other world and spend the rest of her days with her beloved Prince.

With a sigh, Fuu thought back to all that had happened in those six weeks and that prevented her to go to Cephiro: first, there were the end-of-term's exams -and she wanted to get back in first place- and then there was her pregnant sister, whose husband had to leave for an oversea business trip two weeks before the due date. The exams went exactly as she had planned, as for Kuu... her baby had to be evicted, to use Mrs. Houojii's words. And now, there was nothing more between her and Ferio, unless an astronomical conjuncture caused some last-minute trouble.

"A penny for your thoughts." Fuu rose her eyes on her classmate, who was sitting nonchalantly on the Wind Knight's desk: Hoshiko was -before meeting Hikaru and Umi, of course- one of her closest friend and they had known each other since kindergarten. The girl put a curl of her chestnut, long hair behind her ear and added: "It can't be Kuu, since she gave birth last week-end."

"Actually, Asa-chan is born on Monday's early morning. But yes, you can say it was on the week-end, since Onee-san spent the whole Saturday **and** Sunday in labour..."

"Ah, no! I didn't ask for such details and you, don't change the topic!" Hoshiko interrupted her, then she leaned toward her and whispered: "Is it about that boyfriend of yours?"

Fuu almost fell from her chair. "Boy what?" Then she looked around, to check if anybody was paying attention to them, and hissed: "How do you..."

"You know, ma'dear, I've got quite a good earring..."

_Flashback_

_"Houojii-san?"_

_Fuu turned her head, just to meet the Bridge Club president. "Hello, Inoue-san, if it's about you club's budget, it'll be..."_

_"It's... it's not about that." The boy blushed slightly, scratching his cheek. "I've... I've got tickets for Sunday's Liszt concert, and I was wondering if you would like to come."_

_"I'm sorry, but I'm not free this week end. However, I think there are a couple of people interested in it, at the Music Club, aren't they, Hoshiko-san?" she ended, turning toward her classmate, whom nodded._

_"A-actually," he persisted, placing himself in front of her, his face turning a deeper shade of red. "Actually I... I like you and... I would like you to be my girlfriend" He stammered, then added, more to himself: " Damn, I really suck at confessions..."_

_Hoshiko grinned, looking at Fuu's flustered face, waiting eagerly for her reply._

_"Oh-uhm... I... am sorry, but I'vegotsomeone - I'vegottostudy a lot if I want to get into my first-choice university..."_

_End Flashback_

"... and then you left without giving **me** any explanation!"

The Magic Knight of Wind looked as if she would bury herself deep into the ground: for three years she had been able to kept her relationship with Ferio a secret, and now she wondered if Hoshiko had tracked Hikaru down for information. "Please, tell me you kept it for yourself!"

"As silent as the grave. For the moment." She grinned. "Do you imagine what a scoop it would be for the school's newspaper? I wanted to hear every single detail from you yourself first." Fuu sighed in half relief. "Sooo, tell me, ma'dear, do I know him? Is him from our school or not? How did you meet? But most of all, what kind of boy is he? The problem I have with you, Fuu-chan, is that I cannot imagine anyone at your side: is he brainy? Sporty? I hope not an otaku or a visual key fan!"

Fuu felt outraged and was ready to reply with a sound "No!", when the door opened: as quick as lightning, all the students who where out of place went back at their respective desks, and greeted their home room teacher, followed by the headmaster himself and what looked to be a transferee student. Curiosity swelled up among the students, none of them heard about a new classmate in the previous days: Hoshiko glanced at Fuu – after all her mother was one of their school's most known teacher – only to get the most puzzled expression as a reply to her silent question. The headmaster cleared his throat and exchanged a look with the teacher, as to ask her who of them should talk first.

" I know this is sudden and that you may be confused, " started the teacher, «but today, our class was assigned a transferee student, so I would like you to welcome... " she hesitated, looking at the man and the boy on her left, and then her voice got on a slightly higher tone. " I would like you to welcome Prince Ferio Xepphirine. "

A murmur rose in the class. Fuu just wanted to dig herself a nice, deep hole: what was Ferio planning by coming on Earth? But most of all, would he act with her exactly as in Cephiro? Not that she minded, it's just that it would make things difficult with her family and friends.

" His Highness, " resumed the headmaster, " is come in Japan to learn as much as possible from our society: his homeland, Cephiro, has opened up only recently to foreigners and he wishes to use his time here to improve his country condition. Our school has the honour to have been asked to help him, so we want all of you help him learn from our scholar system. "

Most of them -especially the girls- replied with a warm yes.

" Well, I'm glad to hear that. " ended the teacher. " Oh, and would you like to be Prince Ferio's guide, Kisaragi-san? "

Hoshiko stood up, a wide grin on her face. " Of course, madam! "

" I meant your brother: after all he's the class representative. "

" Nii-chan's still at the hospital and he won't be dismissed before the next week, so... I could take his place until he's back. "

Fuu felt a pang of sudden jealousy: she hadn't missed Hoshiko's expression during the whole time and, if she did knew her friend as much as she thought, the Wind Knight felt she was intrigued by that charming, foreign prince. A shame, she didn't wanted them to be rivals – especially since she knew it was a lost battle for Hoshiko.

" I don't think it would be a good idea, but I'd appreciate if you would warn your brother, " replied the teacher with a sigh. " In the meantime, would you take Kisaragi-san's stead, Houoji-san? After all, you're in the student council. "

Fuu opened her mouth to reply, then closed it and whispered a weak yes madam.

The headmaster left, leaving the teacher in charge of Ferio:she told him were his desk was and, as he passed by her, Ferio smiled at Fuu and said, kissing her hand: " If i do recall well, in such circumstances here in Japan someone uses to say: _please, take care of me_. "

* * *

><p>I had this idea turning in my mind for a long time, and I hope His Cuteness will allow enough time to continue it! XD<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

If Fuu was a different girl, there would be at least one vein pulsing on her temple and she would be throwing homicidal glares. However, being Fuu simply… Fuu, she was merely trying to ignore the numerous girls whom had gathered around (her) Ferio as soon as the teacher left. She knew that he was kindly replying with his usual cheeky smile to the girls' questions, and even if the Wind Knight was aware that on Cephiro flirting and courting where two different things, she couldn't help but feel annoyed (nooo… she was not the least jealous…)

"So, how long do you plan to stay in Japan?" she heard a girl ask and Fuu found the question well-placed: she too was interested in the information.

"As long as necessary: a month or more than one year. There are so many things I need to learn to improve my own country."

"More than one year!" squealed Hoshiko. "Isn't it too long? I mean, as your country' governor, I suppose you have some duty to attend…"

"That's true, but back home I've some people I can trust with my own life. I don't deny that, if my stay is actually prolonged, I would be obliged to go back every now and then. Moreover," added Ferio after a short pause, "one of my duty does lie here."

Puzzled, more than one asked him what he meant, but Ferio merely chuckled without giving an answer. As that wasn't enough to end the noise, Fuu turned her head in their direction, with a glare that was red by most of her classmate as will you stop to chatter? I'm trying to study: only Ferio understood her silent question, but as he opened his mouth to speak, the next class's teacher arrived. Whatever the Cephirian prince wanted to say to the Student Council's member, it had to wait.

When lunch time's bell rang, Fuu had to pick up her courage and talk to Ferio.

"If you don't mind, Ferio-ouji, I suggest showing you the… most urgent school's facilities before lunch, and the rest once classes are over." It was stiff and formal, and so Fuu-like. "It would be better if we don't linger here too long, otherwise you won't find anything at the cafeteria for your meal: it would be a shame to miss today's okonomiyaki."

"I'll keep a seat for you, Prince Ferio," chirped Hoshiko with a wink, "and an okonomiyaki too!"

"It's very kind of you, Miss Hoshiko, but no, thank you," replied Ferio as he followed Fuu in the hallway, "since during my first days here I was suggested to have lunch with Miss Ryuzaki." At that name, Hoshiko twisted her mouth: she didn't like Umi too much and considered her as a rival. "You know, as I was able to realize this project thanks to her father's company…"

And with that, the argument was closed.

Ferio followed Fuu through the school's hallways and during the first five minutes or so, they met a lot of people, both students and teachers, to whom the girl was obliged to explain what she was doing: Ferio noticed the way some of the boys glared at him right before knowing that Fuu was merely acting as her class representative's stead – it made him mentally smile to know that his loved one was actually more popular than what she thought.

They walked toward the meeting point with Hikaru and Umi, and since they were at last alone, Ferio thought it was a good time to to resolve their argument: he walked at her side and gently grasped her fingertips.

"Fuu…"

She pulled her hand away and hissed a low don't, then she re-established the distance between them and cleared her throat. "Good morning, Mrs. Thompson."

She was addressing to a woman, whom was eating a sandwich by an open window: she was in her early fifties, with auburn hair and clear eyes, and whose features were still pretty. At the greeting, she turned her head and replied with a wave of her hand, then she swallowed and said: "Going to join your friends for lunch, as usual?"

"Yes, but first I had to show Ferio-ouji around the school a little bit, and moreover he happens to be Umi's guest for lunch." The woman said nothing and kept looking intensely at him. "If you excuse us, we have to hurry: lunchtime won't last forever. Have a nice day, Mrs. Thompson. Oh, and you should really eat something more consistent than that sandwich!" ended Fuu, as she walked away slightly quicker than usual.

Ferio followed her, glancing back once or twice: the woman kept on glaring at him. Only when they were far enough, he dared to whisper: "And she was…"

"One of Hikaru and Umi's teacher and my mother."

"I can see why she was looking at me in that way," he chuckled, then added, more to himself: "just like Fabia's father at the beginning of our acquaintance."

Surprised by the tone of his voice, Fuu looked at him: his smile had turned somewhat bittersweet and – she was sure of it – he seemed lost in some past memories. Fuu was well aware that she was not Ferio's first and only love, and even if sometime she felt a strange curiosity about his past, she never asked and from a word dropped here and there she could guess that there had been no happy endings.

Wishing to change his flow of thoughts, she said: "It would be better if you get in mom's good graces before she knows about us. And… Ferio?" At last she looked straight into his eyes, a sheepish smile on her lips. "I'm sorry."

He smiled back, warm and tender. "Don't worry; I was aware since the beginning that me being here wouldn't make things easy for you…" He wished to reinforce his words with a loving hug, but he even suppressed the urge to squeeze her hand.

During the first five minutes or so of their lunch, all Hikaru did was bowing and apologizing to Fuu for having kept Ferio's coming a secret and only Umi's remark about the fact that they only had forty-five minutes to eat was able to stop her: after all, weren't all of them hungry? With that settled, the four of them took their places in the girls' favorite spot on the roof top, from where they had the best view of Clamp Academy's campus: as Umi distributed her home-made bentos, Fuu asked, with a very low voice, why and how Ferio was there. He sighed, and placing his meal in front of him, replied by telling her how he had spent those last six weeks.

After the second week-end Fuu didn't come to Cephiro, Ferio started to wonder why school was so much important for her: he understood her wish to improve her own culture and, he was sure of it, there was enough knowledge in his world to satisfy her –moreover there were people like Clef whom could guide the Wind Knight. Unable to find an answer, he decided to turn to someone trustworthy who could understand his circumstances: the chosen one was Lantis. The knight listened thoughtfully to his prince and after what seemed an endless silence, he replied that maybe the reasons lay in the differences between Cephiro and the Earth, differences that needed some firsthand experience to be understood: those mere words, coupled with his own past stays in the different countries, convinced Ferio of the need to go. It was then that he realized there were two problems: how could he convince the Council to let him go, since no one but maybe Master Mage Clef could understand? And if and when that was settled, what about the practical side of his stay on Earth? For the first issue, Ferio decided it would be better to play the I-want-to-improve-my-own-country card, at least officially, with the added argument that he had done the same on Fahren, Autozam and Chizeta during Princess Emeraude's early years of Pillarship: it wasn't easy, but in the end he succeeded. For the second issue, it was Umi herself who took everything into her hands: when questioned, she merely winked and replied to trust her, and the following week-end she arrived... with her own parents!

"You know what those two lovebirds think, Fuu," Umi sighed heavily, "if they get the chance to help two lovers, they put themselves into it wholeheartedly! Moreover it would have been better to seek their help than Hikaru's brothers'..."

"Yes, I see your point..." Fuu replied thoughtfully. "And how did they react about..."

"Going to Cephiro? Well, once the shock wore off, they were ecstatic -especially mom, but you know her: as she heard the whole story, she was like a little child in a candy shop, with sparkling heart-shaped eyes and everything. She said it would make a good base for a fantasy romance."

Fuu nodded, wondering what would feel like being turned into a light novel's heroine by Mrs. Ryuzaki –no, she corrected herself, by Aiko Robudee, Kuu's favorite writer.

I know a lot of time passed since the last time I updated this story, but I did not forget about it ;)  
>Thanks to all chapter one's reviewers! :)<p> 


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